This invention pertains to lighting devices and more particularly to lighting devices such as security lights or night lights which provide a desired amount of illumination in the absence of illumination from other sources.
Security lighting and night lights are well known in the prior art. A typical night light of the prior art includes a simple neon bulb connected in series through a resistor to an AC outlet providing a constant glow which serves to provide a minimal amount of lighting at night. A more sophisticated prior art device includes a photoelectric detector so that the night light provides illumination only in the absence of sufficient illumination from other sources. Other prior art night lights provide greater illumination by utilizing a lamp other than a small neon bulb.
Security lighting is also known in the prior art. One form of security lighting are lights which are activated in response to motion such that an area is illuminated only when a person is in that area. At other times, no motion is detected and the security light turns off. Such prior art motion detector security lights are bulky, high wattage, and provide a great amount of illumination to a wide area, such as to a walkway or drivewaY. Thus, these prior art security lights are bulky, and must be securely and permanently attached to a light fixture or a building, and are wired into the AC power mains in a very permanent fashion. Such prior art security lights often include adjustments to set the sensitivity of the motion detector and the delay time dictating how long the light will remain illuminated following the cessation of motion. It is also known to include a photoelectric device in such security lights in order to deactivate the security light when there is sufficient ambient light from other sources.
There remains the need for a small lighting device which is capable of providing a desired amount of illumination in response to the presence of one or more persons in the area desired to be illuminated which is often maintained in darkness (such as a bedroom or a hallway) which is small, lightweight, easily portable, and which can be installed and deinstalled at will by nontechnical consumers.